Embracing Each Birthday

Tomorrow I will turn 34 and I'm embracing each year with a smile and a party.

When I was born my mom told me I was the light in my Fathers eyes. My father was 24 and dreading turning 25 in April. He talked about it a lot and so as God had planned in His time, my father died of a heart attack 2 weeks before his 25th birthday. For 6 weeks I was daddy's little girl. I never knew my father except through the stories told my mom, aunt and grandparents. Every year as my birthday approaches I remember this story, think of my father and embrace each birthday with a smile and a party.

At least one person will tell me that I won't always be happy about celebrating my birthdays or announcing them to the world.....I know I will always be thankful for each day and year as I also celebrate my father.

I don't get emotional or upset as the anniversary of his death or birth approaches but the next 6 weeks is always a reminder of the few things I did learn/inherit from him.

Don't get me wrong, I love my Daddy who has loved and raised me and God knew exactly what he was doing when he took my father and gave my mom and I a totally different life.

I am the person I am today because of both my father and his traits and my daddy and his faith. Without these men in my life I would not be the outspoken, independent, bossy, smart, Christian woman I am today.

Thank you Father and Daddy! I love you both very much!

The Juicer Experience!

Nate has just purchased a juicer is loving it. He is juicing everything this weekend and losing weight in the process. Here is his dinner for tonight.

Before the juicer

Juicing!

After

YUM!

The leftovers ~ no juice

Family Game Night

Christmas morning w my new game

I got a new Settlers game for Christmas from Nate. It has taken us a month n a half to find time to learn how to play and to actually play the game. Tonight we taught the kids how to play and I won!!!!!

The Board

Screamer ~ sleeping

Snuggled in for the game

Nate explaining the game

New Bread Machine!

For Christmas Nate got me a bread maker. I love it! Here are some pictures from my first attempt at making Cinnamon Bread. It turned out okay but next time I will add more sugar and cinnamon.

The Bread Maker and ingredients 

Added the mix

Into the maker

Kneeding

The dough

About to add the cinnamon and sugar mix

Baking

Done

I Don't Watch the News....

I don't watch the news...it is to depressing or just makes me angry so I avoid it and wait for Nate to tell me anything that is important. As I turned on the tv today, I changed the channel to CBS to see how the weather and storms were in Alabama last night. I saw the following person on CBS and he has created this you-tube video....

Why I hate Religion, But Love Jesus

Now when I started to watch the video I was a little skeptic of this guy but as the video concluded his point was made. We have to embrace the love and grace of Jesus Christ without embracing just the idea of being a religious person. Nate and I were just talking this weekend about how Religion seems to be the new "fad" at least out here on the west coast. It is like everyone is religious about some kind of religion and all these religions and different faiths are being accepted throughout the nation....except Christianity.

Jeff Bethke wrote and preformed this video/poem. He told CBS today that he read a book called "Jesus +  Nothing = Everything."  I like the point he made about how we as people and Christians want to add more to the religion and standard of Christianity instead of just loving Jesus and living our lives for Him. Here is the link from the story I watched this morning on CBS

CBS this morning

This is something that just made me think

Thankful for Boring!

Today as I drive to work in the same car, on the same route, to the same job everyday I am thankful for the boring routine.

A year and a half ago Nate and I were moving with no jobs, stressing about paying bills and keeping a roof over our heads.....today we still stress a little about bills but both have great jobs, good working vehicles and a roof over our heads. We now have insurance for the family...and so much more.

It is in the calm boring parts of life that we have the chance to look around us and be truly thankful for all that God has blessed us with. In the calm boring parts we can focus on the calm and peace of knowing we haw a Savior that watches over us. When we are caught up in the drama of life we sometimes lose sight of all we have and what we can be thankful for.

At work my boss tells us not to stress because it is just pasta...just pasta.

Take a moment and look at the parts of life that are boring and routine and be thankful!

Goodbye 2011!

As we say goodbye to 2011, we remember with affection the good times......

~ My sister came for a visit....across the many miles
~ I got to go with my cousin to see the Rose Bowl stadium, where Alabama won their 13th National Championship
~ Nate's family crossed the country to visit, and we got to meet our nephew Bryce for the 1st time
~ I made my first trip home to Alabama in July
~ Cori had her 1st real boyfriend.....and her first real break-up
~ My 1st niece, Alice was born
~ Nate got his Dream job at Blizzard and thus the gaming career has begun
~ Nate and I celebrated 13 years of marriage
~ I graduated college with a Business Degree
~ Cori got her ears pierced
~ Joel dissected a pig's heart at school (which was grey, not pink like he expected...and it smelled Really bad)
~ Cori dissected a cow's eyeball
~ Alabama will play in another National Championship game
~ I learned to knit a hat
~ I read more books then I can count...watched more movies and spend time with Nate and the kids to make memories to last a lifetime.

As with everything there is a time for gladness and laughter, and then a time for sadness and tears....
~ Nate lost an uncle this year
~ Cori lost a friend to suicide and all the questions and fears that go with it
~ I lost my babies, as both my kids are more than a decade old and growing more independent every day

The best things to look at over the last year is the fact the good outweigh the bad. Keep Christ at the center of your life and staying focused on the path in front of you. May the road rise up to meet you and your family and friends support you as you make the journey!

Thanks to all our family and friends and the mountains of prayers, love and support in 2011! Keep em coming in 2012!